Transmitting mechanism.



PATBNTEDSBPT. 12, 190-5.

Fl su TRANSMITTING MEGHANISM.,

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 29. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ATTORNEY No. 799,388. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

E. S. KEYES.

TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.z9.19o5.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 799,388. EATENTED sEET.1z, 1905. E. s. KEYES.

TEANSMITTINE MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED 'STATES PATENT orrion.

TBANSIVIITTING IVIECHANISNI.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented sepaie, 1905.

Application led March 29, 1905. Serial No. 252.680.

T0 a/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK S. KEYES, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Warren, in the county of Worcester and State ot'Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Transmitting Mechanism,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to mechanisms for transmitting power, and moreparticularly to those by which the energy may be stored and its actionmodiiied.

It consists in the various features and combinations hereinafterdescribed and more particularly claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification,

in which similar characters ot' reference indicate corresponding partsin all the views.

Figure 1 is a top plan View of one embodiment of my invention, partsbeing in section. Fig. 2 is a transverse section therethrough on theline 2 2 of Fig. l. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of oppositesides of one of the transmitting members, and Fig. 5 is a diagrammaticview illustrating an application of my invention.

I have here shown a shaft 10 rotatable in bearings 11 and carrying adriving member in the form ot' a wheel l2. This wheel may receive powerthrough a belt-surface 13, projecting from its outer side, and overwhich passes a belt 14 to a pulley 15, fast upon a driving-shaft 16. Thewheel 12 has a central hub 17, which may turn loosely upon the shaft, itbeing' prevented from moving longitudinally thereof by collars 18, fastupon the shaft at its opposite sides. This hub, as illustrated, projectsfrom the wheel at the opposite side from the belt-surface and has at itsouter extremity with respect to the Wheel itself and its inner withrespect to the system as a whole an annular flange 19. Connecting thisflange and the wheel is a cylindrical wall 20, which is divided near itscenter by a continuous opening 21, leading to a chamber 22, formed bythe liange and wall about th hub.

At 23 the iange 19 projects beyond the Wall 21 to furnish acontact-surface.

At the outer edge ofl the wheel surrounding the hub is a peripheralflange 24, and at the extremity of this flange in alinement with theflange 1 9 and projecting toward it is a iange 25, furnishing acontact-surface and forming, With the body of the wheel, a

channel. Between the hub and ange 24 is a generally radial abutment 26,which may becast integrally with or fixed to the wheel and whichprojects inwardly from the periphery, it terminating outside the hub.This abutment may be braced at one side by a series ot' Webs 27.

Extending in substantially radial lines from the hu b are a plurality ofmovable abutments 28, projecting into the peripheral channel, and

each having a reduced portion 29, which enters the opening 21. Theseabutments also serve as connecting members between the sections ofcircularly-arranged spiral springs 30, lying concentric to the hub. Itshould be noted that the division of the springs into comparativelyshort sections connected by the guided abutments, while not verymaterially decreasing their length, retains them in position andprevents their displacement or buckling and their thus oiieringfrictional resistance tomovement. These springs extend between and aresupported by oppositely-placed bosses 31, which project toward oneanother from the adjacent faces of the abutments. The abutments 28 areguided in their movement without introducing appreciable friction byrolls 32, mounted to lrotate upon projections at each side of the innerand outer extremities of the main portions of said abutments andcontacting with the inner face of the wheel and with the flange 25 andthe portion 23 ot' the inner Harige. The outer rolls at each side are inpairs, they being supported upon lateral extensions 33. Their separatedpoints of contact serve to prevent their turning axially under thestress of the springs. At opposite sides of each abutment extension 29are rolls 34 34, which contact With the inner surface of the wall 2O andhold the abutments against outward displacement, they taking thiscomponent of the thrust of the springsections.

With the last of the movable abutments of ,the series, or that adjacentto the iixed abutment, contacts a set of studs or projections 35, hereshown as three in numbeigcorresponding to the series of springs. Theyextend from the inner side of a Wheel or intermediate member 12, whichat its opposite side may be in all respects similar to that justdescribed. As illustrated, there are three of these Wheels 12a; but anygreater or less number might be used. In fact, it Will be obvious thatinstead of cooperating with the abutment of the last Wheel 12L thedriven member IOO IIO

might as well, save as to the degree of spring action secured, actdirectly with the wheel 12. By the Ldriven member I mean any part whichis driven by the transmitting mechanism, and it may include the shaft 10and a wheel 36, keyed to the shaft 10 by means of a suitable hub andhaving studs 37 projecting from its inner side and in the presentinstance contacting with the last movable abutment of the adjacent wheell2, as do the projections of said wheels with those adjacent to them.The wheel 36, with its projections 37, therefore constitutes a companionmember for the adjacent wheel 12a to transmit power therefrom to theshaft 10.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings is shown one application of my invention. Herethe wheel 12 is provided with ratchet-teeth 38, engaged by a relativelystationary pawl 39. The direction of inclination of the teeth is suchthat the springs of the mechanism are prevented from reacting upon thedriving member, they being capable of exerting their effective tensionto rotate the driven member only. The shaft 10 is provided with acone-pulley 40, overl which and a similar pulley 41 upon a driven shaft42 passes a governing-belt 43. With this belt cooperates the lever 44 ofa governor 45, of any convenient type and which acts to shift the beltupon the cone-pulleys to equalize the rotation of the driven shaft inthe usual manner. There may also be associated with the wheel 36 aseries of ratchetteeth 46, with which may cooperate a pawl 47. Bythrowing this pawl into engagement with the teeth the driven mechanismmay be locked and the entire power of the driving member applied tocompress and store the energy of the springs 30.

'Ihe connections in which my invention may be used are manifold; butamong' the more useful is its employment to securea coordination of theeifects of vmotors-such as wave, wind, or explosivein which the actionis irregular. Here the springs absorb the excessive impulses and enablethem to be applied during periods of diminution of power. It isapplicable to the coupling of motors of unequal power and is useful as astorage mechanism in connection with wind-motors and other sources ofenergy in which the power varies or at times ceases altogether. In -anyevent it will serve as a cushioning means between the driving member andthat driven, taking up any shocks which would otherwise be transmitted.

Having thus described my invention, Iclaim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a driving member and a drivenmember, of a plurality of circularly-arranged springs for transmittingpower between the members, each of said springs comprising a pluralityof independent sections.

2. The combination with adriving member and a driven member, of aplurality of concentrically-arranged spiral springs for transmittingpower between the members.

3. The combination with a transmitting member, of connecting membersmovable thereon, springs situated between the connecting members, and acoperating transmitting member.

4. The combination with a transmitting member, of connecting membersmovable thereon, rolls interposed between the connecting members andtransmitting member, springs situated between the connecting members,and a coperating transmitting member.

5. The combination with a transmitting member, of connecting membersmovable thereon, rolls mounted near opposite extremities of theconnecting members and contacting with the transmitting member, springssituated between the connecting members, and a coperating transmittingmember.

6. The combination with a transmitting member, of connecting membersmovable thereon, springs situated between the connecting members, and acompanion transmitting member having projections coperating with thesprings.

7. Transmitting mechanism comprising a rotatable member having a lixedabutment projecting at one side thereof, a movable abutment, a springsituated between the fixed and movable abutments, and a rotatablecompanion member provided with a projection contacting with the movableabutment.

j 8. Transmitting mechanism comprising a rotatable member having a liXedabutment projecting at one side thereof, a movable abutment, a pluralityof springs situated between the fixed and movable abutments and lying atdifferent distances from the axis of the rotatable member, and arotatable companion member provided within a projection contacting withthe movable abutment.

9. Transmitting mechanism comprising a rotatable member having a iiXedabutment projecting at one side thereof.l a plurality of substantiallyradial movable abutments, springsections situated between the fixed andmovable abutments, and a rotatable companion member provided with aprojection contacting with one of the movable abutments.

lO. Transmitting mechanism comprising a rotatable member having a {ixedabutment projecting at one side thereof, a plurality of substantiallyradial movable abutments, springsections situated between the iiXed andmovable abutments, and a rotatable companion member provided with aprojection contacting with. the movable abutment adjacent to the fixedabutment.

v1l. Transmitting mechanism comprising a rotatable member having a Xedabutment projecting at one side thereof, a movable abut- IOO IIO

ment, the adjacent faces of said abutments having Opposite projections,a spiral spring extending between and supported by the pro-v i ment,rolls rotatable upon the movable abutment and contacting with therotatable member, a spring situated between the fixed and movable abutments, and a rotatable companion member provided with a projectioncontacting with the movable abutment.

13. Transmitting mechanism comprising a rotatable member having a fixedabutment projecting at one side thereof, a movable abutment provided atone end with lateral extensions contacting with the rotatable member, aspring situated between the fixed and movable abutments, and a rotatablecompanion member provided with a projection contacting with the movableabutment.

14. Transmitting mechanism comprising a rotatable member having a fixedabutment projecting from one side thereof, substantially radialabutments movable circumferentially of the rotatable member, means forpreventing longitudinal displacement of the movable abutment, a springsituated between the fixed and movable abutments, and a rotatablecompanion member provided with a projection contacting with the, movableabutment.

15. Transmitting mechanism comprising a wheel having a hub and a fixedabutment, substantially radial abutments movable toward and from thefixed abutment, springs situated between the abutments, and a drivenmember cooperating with one of the movable abutments.

16. Transmitting mechanism comprising a wheel having a hub provided witha chamber and also having a fixed abutment, abutments movable toward andfrom the xedabutments and having portions extending into the chamber,springs situated between the abutments, rolls carried by the movableabutments within the chamber, and a driven member coperating with one Ofthe movable abutments.

17. Transmitting mechanism comprising a wheel having a hub, acircumferential flange and an intermediate fixed abutment, abutmentsmovable toward and from the fixedabutment, rolls mounted upon theabutments and contacting with the circumferential ange and with the bodyof the wheel, springs situated between the abutments.l and a drivenAmember cooperating with one of the abutments.

i 18. Transmitting mechanism comprising a wheel having a hub, acircumferential Harige vand an'intermediate fixed abutment, abutmentsmovable toward and from the fixed abutment, pairs of separated rollsmounted at opposite sides of the abutments and contacting with thecircumferential flange and with the body of the wheel, springs situatedbetween the abutments, and a driven member cooperating with one of theabutments.

In testimony whereofl have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two Asu bscribing witnesses.

FREDERiOK s. KEYES.

Witnesses:

SYLvANUs H. COBB, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL.

